Symblepharon is an external eye finding in which an adhesion forms between the palpebral conjunctiva and bulbar conjunctiva (1). There are many causes of symblepharon, which is typically a response to trauma or inflammation. In no particular order, here are some of those causes:

Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid

Pseudopemphigoid conditions

Stevens-Johnson syndrome

Trauma

Conjunctival burns

Atopic keratoconjunctivitis

Porphyria cutanea tarda

Rosacea

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis

Xeroderma pigmentosum

Squamous papilloma of the conjunctiva

If anyone has a good mnemonic to help remember these causes, let us know! If you're studying for the OKAP or board exams, a sample question may look like this: